More tire talk..

[VBNSX]

Ok.. so now ths is the first day i've had a chance to use the s03's on the track. The car feels slightly sloppy.. at first... but when i focused more and more i noticed that:

1. The car is actually gripping a LOT more especially when they get hot.. they don't seem to get loose like the RE010's do over long periods of time on the track.

2. I think this 'sloppy' feeling is from me... now I have never changed tires from the RE010 so i just wanted to get some input from others.

Now when i mean sloppy i mean it seems as if maybe it's me not being 'as smooth' in certain areas. Now does it make sense that perhaps b/c these tires are better in grip and wider... are my small nuances of input and driving are becoming amplified? I.e. is it possible that where i perhaps wasn't sticking before and giving lots of input, now i need to give less input? Or maybe i need to just learn this set of tires more? Should these really differ that much?? All input is appreciated..

Just curious to those who have upgraded to better tires and perhaps ever experienced anything like this.

thanks,
x

 

[NSX-Racer]

You always need to get used to any mod to use its potential - tires, sway bars, shocks etc. (the only mod I needed just one lap to get used to was the OMP competition wheel as a replacement for the OEM steering wheel - don't ask me why, I don't know).

I always tried new mods on a known track and started just like a beginner - reduced speed, very accurate driving, always hitting the turn in points, apexes etc.. Then increase speed from lap to lap (with a look at the laptimer), make a break for controlling air pressure (usualy you have to reduce it after some hot laps to maintain optimal grip), bolts etc.

If your new mod and settings are okay you will experience better lap times than the year before (of course you can also claim that to your better skills). And usualy laptimes are the only currency at the track - not your feelings.

 

[OLDE GUY]

Xavier - I think that you also recently changed to Tein RA suspension, had the car corner balance, aligned, etc. All this with the wider SO3 tread and more grip makes it more "race car" like in its handling and sensitive to all inputs. JMHO

 

[VBNSX]

Xavier - I think that you also recently changed to Tein RA suspension, had the car corner balance, aligned, etc. All this with the wider SO3 tread and more grip makes it more "race car" like in its handling and sensitive to all inputs. JMHO

Bill,
I played it smart and just did one thing.. which is the tires... no RA's yet..

x

 

[OLDE GUY]

Oh, I thought I saw a post of yours about corner balancing at a shop in Atlanta - No?? Sorry.

 

[nsxtasy]

I suspect what you're feeling is the difference in your inputs, rather than a difference in the tires themselves.

If you still have the RE010 tires on a separate set of wheels, you could bring them with you to the track and try switching back and forth between the two sets of tires in different sessions. If, OTOH, the S-03 replaced the RE010 on the same set of wheels, that's not an option...

 

[VBNSX]

Oh, I thought I saw a post of yours about corner balancing at a shop in Atlanta - No?? Sorry.

Nawh.. the only corner balancing I ever did was at a NASA event and when it had me in it the diagonal ratios were nearly 50% just stock.. kinda funny if you ask me.. :biggrin:

x

 

[TigerNSX]

I will be an outlier about raving S03.

I am only a novice driver (and have only used street tires), but for some reason, S03 tires and I do not click. It just does not seem as if these tires have similar dry grip as other tires that I have used (I am not going to mention names in order not to divert the topic).

Although I love how S03 tires behave in rain (it rains a lot in New England and almost half of my track sessions were in rain), I just do not like using S03 tires on a beautiful dry day.

I love the longevity of S03s and their built quality. However, in terms of a dry traction, I have seen better street tires for the dry track. I know that the overwhelming opinion disagrees with me, but I just feel more confident with other tires for the dry track.

 

[NSX-Racer]

I love the longevity of S03s and their built quality. However, in terms of a dry traction, I have seen better street tires for the dry track. I know that the overwhelming opinion disagrees with me, but I just feel more confident with other tires for the dry track.

You're not way off: Even the S-02 PP was better on dry than the 03 and surely the OEM Yokos stick also better on dry (even on the track). OTOH the 03s are better in wet than the 02s and they have a wider tolerance band between grip and no grip (maybe that's why you don't like them, they feel a bit unpredictable at the limit when it's dry).

 

[OLDE GUY]

I will be an outlier about raving S03. Although I love how S03 tires behave in rain (it rains a lot in New England and almost half of my track sessions were in rain), I just do not like using S03 tires on a beautiful dry day.

TigerNSX - Try adjusting your tire pressures at the track per my comments in this thread. I think that you will find that they perform well in oversize 225x16 front and 255x17 rear that VBNSX and I have. If you are speaking of stock sizes, driving at the novice level and Yokohama tires, then I can agree with you.

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44260

 

[VBNSX]

Although I've never driven on the s02's I'd have to say.. the s03's can REALLY hold their own after being on the track for awhile... for the RE010's after 20 mins the car would be all over the road. With the s03's even after 25 mins, i'm still pushing the car real hard and it still grips real well.

just my .02

x

 

[NSX-Racer]

Although I've never driven on the s02's I'd have to say.. the s03's can REALLY hold their own after being on the track for awhile... for the RE010's after 20 mins the car would be all over the road. With the s03's even after 25 mins, i'm still pushing the car real hard and it still grips real well.

True - the S03s don't loose their performance as fast as some other tires. But be aware that I compared them to the stock Yokos not the stock Bridgestone RE10 (I have never used them). Seems that there is really a difference between these two - the Yokos hold their grip over a long period and tend to behave much more "race slick like" than all other tires I track drove on the NSX.